POST Academy completes second term
North Idaho training keeps costs down; officers stay in own community
Rahana Zellars
Issue date: 11/16/09 Section: Life
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The POST is a police academy that officers must attend within their first year in law enforcement. The academy training goes for 13 weeks and holds a maximum of 25 students and a minimum of 12. The latest class started Aug. 10 and ended Nov. 6.
The academy trains officers in everything from arrest techniques to standard field sobriety testing. Most of the training is at NIC, except firearms, which are taught at Fernan Lake, and emergency vehicle operation, which is taught at the Coeur d'Alene Airport.
The officers are from Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Coeur d'Alene Tribe, Rathdrum, Bonners Ferry, Shoshone, Idaho State Police and the sheriff's office. There are currently 13 officers preparing and training for their law enforcement careers.
Michael Berg, 66, has been the director of the program since January. He has 34 years of experience in law enforcement.
The academy is taught by 60 POST-certified instructors that specialize in a specific field.
"The officers are being taught and learning from instructors in this area so when they come out of the academy, they maintain a working relationship," Berg said.
Until April 6, the statewide training was only offered in Meridian, a suburb of Boise. The North Idaho Academy currently remains a pilot program that is to be evaluated by Boise State and the Idaho Post after the Nov. 6 completion. This will determine if the Northern Idaho branch will continue.
"So far, Southern Idaho has remained very supportive of the new program," Berg said. "I have no doubt that we will successfully complete the evaluation, no doubt at all."
In the past, all officers had to travel to Meridian for their training, leaving their lives and families behind. The opening of the POST program in North Idaho has given officers an opportunity to stay and train in their own community.
Jerry Lema, 39, probation and parole officer for the Department of Corrections, had to travel to Southern Idaho for his academy.
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Paul Smith
posted 11/16/09 @ 10:09 AM PST
Hey congrats Post Academy Graduates! The first student to call me will receive a free nights stay at the Country Inn and Suites in Meridian! Call Paul Smith at 2089143276 to get a free stay for your family to stay! The first person to call wins! Then everyone else at the Post gets the employee rate until dec 31, 2009!
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